This invention generally relates to a method of operating a multiple component electronic imaging system as a distributed processor network system to maximize the processing speed and efficiency of the imaging system.
Electronic imaging components, such as digital cameras, scanners, printers, etc. are conventionally controlled by a dedicated intelligence circuit having its own user interface that is normally mechanically integrated into the housing of the component. As the microcontroller, memory, and user interface (UI) forming the intelligence circuit is often one of the most expensive parts of the camera, printer, or other imaging component, the Eastman Kodak Company has developed systems and methods for using a single modular intelligence circuit to operate a plurality of imaging components. Such systems are disclosed and claimed in U.S. patent application Ser. Nos. 08/956,989 and 09/054,770, filed Oct. 23, 1997 and Apr. 3, 1998, respectively, both of which are assigned to the Eastman Kodak Company.
In each of these systems, a single compact intelligence module is detachably connected to any one of a digital camera, a film scanner, printer, digital photo album, digital projector, etc. in order to share images and to operate the same. The intelligence module has its own user interface which includes an LCD screen that is used to control the particular imaging component that the module is connected to. The design takes advantage of the observation that consumers rarely operate more than one particular imaging component at one time. For example, when a consumer is capturing images via a digital camera, the consumer""s photo rendering component (which may be a color printer, a video screen, or an LCD display) is typically not in use. This observation inspired the personnel at Eastman Kodak Company to conceive of a line of relatively xe2x80x9cdumbxe2x80x9d digital cameras, printers, and other imaging components, each of which may be operated by a compact and manually transferable intelligence module which is detachably connectable to a mating socket present in each one of the imaging components. Such a system not only lowers the manufacturing costs of the imaging system as a whole, but in certain ways actually enhances the operational reliability and functionality of each component.
While such a xe2x80x9cshared intelligencexe2x80x9d system represents a major advance in the art, the inventors have noticed that the technique of manually transferring a portable intelligence module to one imaging component at a time (and hence forming what is known as a xe2x80x9csneaker-netxe2x80x9d between the components) is appealing to those users interested in lowest cost and who may be wary of high technology devices typical of electronic cabled components. Some users, however, may tire of the need to move the intelligence module from one device to another (particularly as the number of imaging components expands beyond a digital camera and printer) and are comfortable with a higher level of technology at additional cost.
For example, if a system operator owned only a digital camera and a printer, the resulting xe2x80x9csneaker-netxe2x80x9d work flow could be easily executed by merely detachably connecting the intelligence module to the camera in order to capture and store images, and then detaching the module from the camera and connecting it into the printer to render hard copies of the captured images.
However, a more complex work flow is created if the system operator owns additional components, as illustrated in FIGS. 1A and 1B. Here, the operator owns a system 1 that includes a digital camera 2 that is operative when an intelligence module 4 is electrically and mechanically connected to it via sockets 6. He also owns an archiving station designed to store a large number of digital images, an APS color negative film scanner 10 designed to capture images from previously exposed and processed film, and a printer 12, each of which is operative when connected to the single intelligence module 4. Using these system components, if the operator wishes to capture several images with the digital camera 2, add these images to others captured with the scanner 10, store all of the images in the archiving station 8, and print all of them on the printer 12, the intelligence module would have to be moved three times to complete the work flow, as indicated in FIG. 1B.
In a second example illustrated in FIG. 2, the system operator might own a system 14 that includes a view/edit station 15 for modifying and/or viewing captured images, an archiving station 16, and a printer 18 in addition to the digital camera. If the operator wanted to retrieve images from the archiver 16, edit them on the view/edit station 15, store the modified images back on the archiver 16, and print these images out on the printer 18, the intelligence module would again have to be moved three times to complete the work flow.
Clearly, there is a need for an electronic imaging system which maintains at least some of the economies and advantages of the previously described xe2x80x9cshared intelligencexe2x80x9d systems, but which eliminates the need for multiple manual transfers of the intelligence module to complete a desired work flow. Ideally, such a system could be easily implemented using a combination of commercially available components and software packages with some original components and software so as to maximize the capability of the system while minimizing the cost of development and manufacture. Finally, it would be desirable if such a system were operated in a way that reduced the time necessary to execute a particular work flow.
Generally speaking, the invention is a method of operating an electronic imaging system as a distributed processor network that overcomes the shortcomings associated with the prior art. The method is particularly adapted for use with an electronic imaging system that includes a plurality of imaging components, each of which is connected to an intelligence module having a microcontroller and memory. In the method of the invention, the intelligence modules of each of the imaging components are interconnected with a data interface, such as a high-data throughput cable, in order to form a system network. Different processing steps are then assigned to different ones of the intelligence modules. Next, image data entered and stored within the system is divided into a plurality of data groups which may correspond to different portions of a single image. The data groups are then serially entered through each of the intelligence modules until a specific chain of processing steps are completed on each particular data group. With the exception of the beginning and end of the method, the microcontroller and memory of each of the various microcontrollers is continuously and simultaneously used thereby greatly improving efficiency while minimizing the processing time required to render an image.
In the preferred method, one of the modules has a user interface, and the network formed by the interconnection of the intelligence modules is controlled by the module having the user interface. Additionally, each of the imaging components preferably includes a memory circuit that stores operating instructions for its respective component. The controlling module may have software for downloading and executing the operating instructions of each of the various imaging components, and the method of the invention may further comprise the step of downloading the operating instructions from each of the memory circuits into the controlling module prior to the processing of the image data. The downloading software may include Java(trademark), Jini(trademark), and networking software.
The operating instructions contained within the memory circuits of each of the imaging components preferably includes user interface software for its respective imaging components which, when transferred to the controlling module, allows the user interface of the controlling module to control the particular imaging component. The operating instructions stored in each of the memory circuits preferably also includes specific firm ware for the imaging component associated with the memory circuit which, when downloaded into the controlling module, allows the controlling module to control specific components of the imaging component (such as aperture adjustment and focusing of a camera, etc.). Finally, the operating instructions stored in each of the memory circuits may include characterization data for allowing the intelligence module connected to the particular imaging component to convert image data received from another imaging component to properly format the processed image data. Examples of such characterization data may include device dependent parametric information such as the number of pixels that the device operates in and the particular color format that the image is stored within.